High
by JustGrace13
Summary: "A little late for a jog, don't you think?" IchigoxRukia AU Rukia Kuchiki had decided to commit suicide by jumping from the Karasu Bridge when she runs into an unusual stranger, literally. Chapter 2: Ichigo's version!
1. Rukia's Version

****Hello! I decided to write something a little more relevant to how I've been feeling recently. This was originally stated for the First Impressions collection but I never got around to finishing it until now. I hope you enjoy this and maybe take a look at the stuff in First Impressions as well.

If there's enough interest, I'd love to write out and post Ichigo's version as Chapter 2. Let me know in a review!

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**High**

Rukia crossed her arms as she walked alongside the Karasu River, trying to keep in more body heat. It was getting late and the temperature was dropping.

She admired the way the moon glistened on the thin sheet of ice covering the river.

And it was a _very _thin sheet. She had checked.

She continued shivering but uncrossed her arms to hold onto the railing for balance as she walked up the slick steps leading to the bridge. Rukia had walked over this bridge thousands of times, every day to and from school.

It had never seemed so significant before. It's funny how you look at things when you know it's the last time you'll see them.

Rukia pushed the strange thoughts away and focused. This was not the time to go back on her decision.

Her sister had been killed in front of her exactly one year ago on this bridge and now she had no one left. There was nothing in this world for her anymore.

Once she reached the top of the stairs, she paused.

Was it better to get a running start? She might hesitate if she looked down first…

_A running start, then._

Her numb feet moved slowly at first but soon she was sprinting. A quarter of the way across the bridge, she saw the platform marking the center. Her breath was heavy now and she slowed, preparing for the turn onto the overlook.

She almost didn't notice the dark figure jumping the rail separating the road from the walking path until it was too late. The stranger saw her first and tried to move but her feet skid under her and her momentum carried her straight into the stranger, knocking them both over.

A deep voice groaned and then laughed. "A little late for a jog, don't you think?"

Rukia blushed as she stood up. "I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"

The bridge was empty except for the pair, streetlights and a full moon illuminating the shadowy figures.

The man pushed himself up and spoke slowly, "It doesn't really matter, I suppose. How about you?"

Rukia bristled at the man's nonchalance and responded sharply, "Just a slight bruising is all. And don't be ridiculous. If you're injured, you need medical attention."

Amber eyes studied her face intently and Rukia felt her chest tighten. This man was not normal. His unusual orange hair and aloof attitude reminded her of the evil men that her sister had warned her about before she fell victim to those very same men in this exact spot.

He was obviously strong, as demonstrated by the ease with which he had climbed over the railing, and his height towered over her own petite form.

"You sure you're ok?" Those piercing amber eyes softened with concern and his voice was now gentle.

Rukia's legs trembled violently and she fought the urge to run. "Of course. You can be on your way now."

It's funny how fiercely she was now trying to preserve the very thing she wanted to throw away.

"Actually, I just came out here to sit for a while." The man stepped off the walking path and sat down on the bench on the overlook. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Rukia watched the odd man lean back and cross on foot over the other, looking out towards the icy river. His breath formed a vapor as he exhaled, reminding Rukia again of how cold it was outside.

It seemed that this man had no interest in harming her after all.

_Well, now what?_

She imagined casually walking towards the edge as if she wanted a better view and simply leaning too far over the guard rail but that seemed overdramatic.

Besides, death was something no one should ever have to witness.

"About how high do you think this bridge is compared to the river?" The man remained facing forward but the abrupt question was oddly along the same lines as Rukia's own thoughts.

"31.5 meters," she answered automatically. She had checked that as well but realized how peculiar her certainty must sound to this stranger.

"More or less," she added.

"That's a funny thing to know." The man's broad shoulders shook slightly in what Rukia imagined was quiet laughter.

"I was just wondering. I don't want you to waste your time because of me," he continued, looking at her over his shoulder, as if waiting for her to leave.

"Actually, I'll stay if you don't mind." Rukia would not let her plan be ruined that easily.

"Suit yourself." The man shrugged. "You're welcome to sit down if you'd like."

Tiredness had already begun to consume her strength but the idea of sitting so close to someone was still unfathomable for Rukia.

"I prefer to stand." She took to pacing up and down along the side of the platform, carefully watching the man out of the corner of her eye. Now, it was merely a game to see who would outwait the other.

"I'm Ichigo, by the way. Ichigo Kurosaki." The man broke the quiet again.

"Rukia," she responded shortly.

"It's nice to meet you, Rukia."

And they lapsed into silence once again.

She walked quicker in hopes of fighting off the growing numbness in her toes and fingertips. Ichigo was only wearing a faded pair of jeans and a dark brown leather jacket but he didn't seem bothered by the cold.

Instead, he unbuckled his jacket and slid it off his lean form.

"Why don't you put this on? You must be freezing."

Rukia stared at the man, now clad in only a long sleeve black top, and considered declining before another cold shiver slid down her spine, chilling her core.

"If you insist."

The supple leather encased her body in warmth and Rukia was surrounded by the smell of cinnamon and other spices.

Her sister had loved cooking.

Tears began to cloud Rukia's vision but she blinked vigorously, trying to will them away.

"I apologize if it smells. I was working with some strong chemicals earlier today."

"You're a scientist?" Rukia asked, letting her curiosity get the better of her.

"A doctor." Ichigo paused."Well, I was. I worked at the Karakura charity hospital."

"Oh," Rukia said softly. She understood that she had intruded on a sensitive subject for him.

"It smells kind of nice, actually." Her face reddened as she realized fully what she had said.

A small smile formed on Ichigo's mouth but he didn't say anything further.

A single car drove by on the road, bathing the overlook in its bright headlights for a moment as it passed.

Rukia wondered what time it was. She had left her apartment at 11:30; was it midnight yet? She had hoped it would have been over by now. The idea of being late, even by a few minutes, made her feel sick to her stomach.

If only this man would leave and let her get on with it.

She sat down on the edge of the bench, leaving as much distance between her and Ichigo as she could. Speaking of feeling sick, Rukia found that she had grown slightly queasy.

This was exactly why she hadn't intended to wait.

A deep yawn captured her thoughts for a moment and another wave of exhaustion washed over her.

"Shouldn't you be heading home about now?"

"Shouldn't you?" Rukia responded with more spite than she had intended.

Ichigo looked at her thoughtfully. "I'd worry about leaving you here alone."

"You shouldn't. I can take of myself."

"I'm sure you can. But I have my own reasons for waiting."

"So do I."

They regarded each other evenly, trying to discern exactly what the other was saying.

Rukia finally looked away in irritation. "Aren't you cold?"

"It doesn't matter."

The boy's blatant disregard for himself bothered Rukia deeply.

"If course it matters. This is your jacket. If you're cold, you should take it and go home."

"But then you would be cold."

"What do you care anyway?" Rukia spat in frustration.

Ichigo chose his next words carefully, as if unsure of how to answer.

"I'd like to see you again," he finally responded.

Rukia blinked in surprise. "Why?"

The question left her lips before she could catch it and she blushed as his dark eyes stayed locked with hers.

"You've done a lot for me. More than you realize. I want to return the favor."

Rukia's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What favor?"

Ichigo smiled gently and looked out over the river. "You've changed my mind about some things, Rukia."

Then, he turned to face her again. "Why don't you keep that jacket and give it back another time? Maybe at lunch tomorrow?"

Excitement made Rukia's heart pound and she almost agreed before she remembered and stopped herself. This was not the time to go back on her decision.

Her sister had been killed in front of her exactly one year ago on this bridge and now she had no one left. There was nothing in this world for her anymore.

_But…_

This man said she had helped him; he said he wanted to see her again; he wanted her to live.

Someone wanted her to live.

"Can I see you tomorrow, Rukia?"

"…ok."

The wide smile that lit up Ichigo's face caused Rukia to mirror the expression.

"I'll meet you at noon then?" He asked, standing up and offering her his hand.

Rukia giggled, her chest light with relief and nervous energy. "Where?"

She placed her hand in his and his grip was warm and gentle.

"At the café by the Karakura Hospital? I have to go by there in the morning and get some things sorted out."

They smiled at each other again and Rukia nodded. "I'll be there."

"I'll see you then, Rukia."

She watched as Ichigo climbed back over the rail separating the road from the walkway.

He looked at her through the bars. "Do you want a ride home?"

"No, thanks." Rukia waved as she started walking back across the Karasu Bridge.

Ichigo waved as well before crossing the road and getting into his car.

Rukia pulled the warm jacket around her tighter, breathing in Ichigo's scent and remembering her sister.

She wished that her sister would be there when she arrived at home so she could tell her everything that had just happened.

Rukia sniffled as she walked but continued smiling. She had found someone that wanted her to continue living because she had helped them. She had found a friend.

Ichigo was certainly not a normal friend but, to Rukia, that didn't really matter.

She looked up at the sky and imagined Hisana watching her little sister, proud that she was no longer alone and afraid to keep living.

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Everybody loves a happy ending.

Don't forget to review if you want to see Ichigo's version! Or if you just want to make me smile. :)


	2. Ichigo's Version

In response to all the lovely, encouraging reviews High received, I present to you Ichigo's version! I hope it lives up to your expectations. :)

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"Kurosaki! Don't you walk away when I'm talking to you!"

Ichigo ignored the man yelling behind him and slammed the office door shut on his way out.

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself!" His boss called after him but Ichigo continued walking stubbornly through the long white hallway.

_God damn it, why can't he just leave me alone?_

He turned the corner, almost colliding with a group of residents about to start their night shift.

"Oh, Ichigo! I heard about your patient this morn-"

He sidestepped to avoid bumping into the well-meaning nurse, "I can't talk right now, Orihime."

Ichigo chose the five flights of stairs over the stifling elevator, skipping every other step. Finally, he found himself in the driver's seat of his car, gasping for breath and slowly realizing that he had no idea where his keys were currently located.

"Fucking great!" Ichigo searched through the pockets of his lab coat before ruthlessly tossing the garment in the back seat. Then, he felt the sides of his jeans and finally came upon the troublesome object when he put a hand in one of the inside pockets of his leather jacket.

"Little bastards…" He cursed quietly as he turned the car on and sped out of the parking lot, trying to release the menagerie of pent up emotions plaguing his mind.

The roads were quiet; it was almost midnight according to Ichigo's watch. He berated himself as he drove towards the Karasu Bridge, heading out of the city.

_Maybe I'll be able to clear my head…_

Hot tears stung his eyes but he refused to let them fall.

Ichigo Kurosaki might be a damn fool but he certainly wasn't going to cry about his mistake like a little brat.

The image of the woman on the hospital bed, eyes frozen wide open in pain, her hand reaching to him for comfort consumed his thoughts and he slammed on the breaks. He was in the middle of the bridge.

All of a sudden, Ichigo couldn't breathe.

He yanked the keys out of the ignition and pushed the door open with all the force he could muster.

The crisp night air filled his lungs and he felt his hot blood cool to a simmer.

_Karasu Bridge… 46% of all suicides in Karakura take place here._

The ones that failed usually ended up in his hospital.

In that moment, Ichigo made a rash decision. He sprinted across the lanes of the bridge towards the walking path and easily climbed the dividing fence.

The sound of someone approaching caught his attention and before he could react, the force of impact knocked him off his feet.

Caught off-guard and slightly shaken, Ichigo almost forgot himself. He did a quick mental check for any injuries and then laughed at the strangeness of the situation.

"A little late for a jog, don't you think?" He joked.

A bright pair of eyes widened and the soft voice sounded embarrassed. "I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"

The bridge was empty except for the pair, with only streetlights and a full moon to shed light on the shadowy figures.

Ichigo shrugged. The woman's delicate form and genuine concern reminded him uncomfortably of the things he was running from. "It doesn't really matter, I suppose. How about you?"

"Just a slight bruising is all. And don't be ridiculous. If you're injured, you need medical attention." The woman's voice sharpened.

Ichigo frowned. He was sick of 'medical attention.'

He considered leaving the conversation at that and waiting for the woman to continue on her way but then he noticed how her demeanor had changed. Her legs were shaking and her fists were clenched tightly at her sides.

"You sure you're ok?" He asked gently, the doctor in him taking over to care for yet another patient.

"Of course. You can be on your way now." The woman's voice was almost shrill now.

"Actually, I just came out here to sit for a while." Ichigo spoke calmly. He walked slowly towards the bench, trying not to make any sudden movements. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

He sat down facing the river and waited for the woman to resume her walk.

She never moved.

"About how high do you think this bridge is compared to the river?" Ichigo tried to sound innocently curious, as if it were just polite chit-chat.

"31.5 meters," she answered quickly. Ichigo nodded to show that he had heard.

"More or less," she added as an afterthought. Her stare still bored into the back of his head and Ichigo shifted uncomfortably.

"That's a funny thing to know." Ichigo commented cordially, trying to ease the tension.

_It also seems awfully high…_

"I was just wondering. I don't want you to waste your time because of me," he decided to continue. He looked over his shoulder to meet her gaze.

She finally looked away.

"Actually, I'll stay if you don't mind."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. _Why is everyone being so damn difficult?_

"Suit yourself. You're welcome to sit down if you'd like."

"I prefer to stand."

The petite woman took to pacing up and down along the side of the platform, carefully watching Ichigo out of the corner of her eye as if he were a predator about to strike at any second.

Ichigo, after being the target of attention all day, finally got fed with being scrutinized by this stranger and tried to distract her from her pensiveness.

"I'm Ichigo, by the way. Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Rukia," she responded shortly.

"It's nice to meet you, Rukia."

Rukia didn't say anything else.

Ichigo let his mind drift in the quiet. He had worked so hard, his spent his whole career on this treatment and it had failed. It was nowhere near ready but that woman had trusted him…

His patient had trusted him and he killed her.

Ichigo was starting to feel warm again. "Why don't you put this on?" He said abruptly, swallowing the painful memory.

The smothering jacket was quickly removed. "You must be freezing."

The thin woman stared at him suspiciously. A cool breeze blew past and Ichigo let it wash over him, relaxing his mind.

"If you insist." Rukia's hand shook from the cold as she reached out for the garment.

The jacket that fit Ichigo so well almost swallowed her small form but she didn't seem to mind.

Ichigo wondered what would make this woman so determined to stay when she was obviously tired and cold.

Rukia pulled the jacket around her tighter and inhaled deeply. Then, she made a strained face and Ichigo felt embarrassed.

"I apologize if it smells. I was working with some strong chemicals earlier today."

"You're a scientist?" Rukia asked.

"A doctor." Ichigo paused. He had quit his job of five years not even an hour ago.

"Well, I was. I worked at the Karakura charity hospital."

"Oh. It smells kind of nice, actually."

Ichigo turned to look at the woman in surprise but she refused to meet his eyes. Her cheeks were red, causing Ichigo to grin, but he didn't say anything else.

It was almost nice, being out here at night with this Rukia. On a different day, he might have thought of her as pretty, maybe even tried to ask her out. He might've tried to make plans that would occur in the future, a future that Ichigo no longer wanted to think about.

A single car drove by on the road, bathing the overlook in its bright headlights for a moment as it passed.

Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

_I'm such a coward. What am I doing here?_

The icy river flowed silently far beneath his feet and he had been totally prepared to be a part of it, to give up his life so easily.

Rukia sat down on the far end of the bench and Ichigo let his eyes wander over her small, tense form. She looked so fragile…

"Shouldn't you be heading home about now?"

"Shouldn't you?" She spat back.

Ichigo was surprised at her harsh tone. "I'd worry about leaving you here alone."

"You shouldn't. I can take of myself."

"I'm sure you can. But I have my own reasons for waiting."

"So do I."

They regarded each other evenly, trying to discern exactly what the other was saying.

Rukia finally looked away in irritation. "Aren't you cold?"

"It doesn't matter," Ichigo replied honestly. In fact, he currently felt better than he had all day.

He had a sneaking suspicion as to what Rukia was waiting for and she reminded him of why he wanted to be a doctor in the first place: to take care of people.

"If course it matters. This is your jacket. If you're cold, you should take it and go home." The girl was obviously frustrated.

Ichigo had to stop himself from grabbing her and trying to convince her that killing herself wouldn't fix anything.

All problems had to be faced head on.

Ichigo finally settled for looking Rukia in the eyes and trying to reason with her. "But then you would be cold."

"What do you care anyway?"

Ichigo thought carefully. There had never been any classes or lessons in medical school about how to deal with things like this.

"I'd like to see you again," he blurted out. The doctor in him was currently shaking his head in disappointment but his heart was now pounding.

"Why?" Rukia was blushing but she hadn't turned him down outright.

Ichigo decided to keep going with the honesty tactic.

"You've done a lot for me. More than you realize. I want to return the favor."

Rukia's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What favor?"

Ichigo smiled at the stunning girl looking back at him. Then, he looked out at the river that had called to him just minutes ago.

"You've changed my mind about some things, Rukia."

Ichigo turned to look at her again. "Why don't you keep that jacket and give it back another time? Maybe at lunch tomorrow?"

Rukia didn't say anything for a long time. She seemed to be caught up in her own mind.

Ichigo knew the feeling and he knew he would never be able to repay this woman for saving him from his own thoughts.

"Can I see you tomorrow, Rukia?" He asked again, pulling her attention outward.

"…ok." She finally answered.

Rukia's face seemed to light up when she smiled at him, making Ichigo grin back.

"I'll meet you at noon then?" He asked, standing up and offering her his hand.

Rukia giggled and placed her hand in his, small and cool. "Where?"

Ichigo thought for a moment. His boss had never wanted him to leave. It would take an apology and an explanation that he would need more time for the treatment but he knew the hospital would take him back.

"At the café by the Karakura Hospital? I have to go by there in the morning and get some things sorted out."

They smiled at each other again and Rukia nodded. "I'll be there."

"I'll see you then, Rukia." Ichigo climbed back over the dividing fence, sparing glances at Rukia's bright eyes and beautiful smile every chance he got.

He noticed her start to walk along the pathway. "Do you want a ride home?"

"No, thanks." Rukia waved and then hugged the jacket around her to show that she was warm enough.

Ichigo felt a comforting lightness in his chest as he waved back and watched the woman that had just saved his life walk away in his warm, nice-smelling leather jacket.

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Silly Ichigo and his impulsiveness :) Thank goodness Rukia's always around to knock some sense into him.

Were you at all surprised? I tried to make it flow smoothly while still keeping with the same dialogue and everything. Please review and let me know!


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